Geographical Locations - Belgium

• (Statistical) Number of Inhabitants per Doctor: 310
• CIA World Factbook : Belgium

Organisations and Networks

UN and Multinational

• WHO
  - WHO Country Profile - Belgium
  - WHO - Tobacco control: Country Profile: Belgium
  - WHO - Environmental Burden of Disease: Country Profile – Belgium
  - WHO – Progress in the Prevention of Injuries in the WHO European Region: Belgium
• Regional Office for Europe (EURO) in Copenhagen (Denmark)

Government

• Department of Health, Food Chain Safety and Environment

Non-Government

• PIPSA
  "Un centre de référence, en Communauté française de Belgique, des jeux et outils pédagogiques utiles en Promotion de la santé. Espace-carrefour entre les offres et demandes d'outils pédagogiques, PIPSA centralise le kit pédagogique, l'exposition interactive, le module d'animation, le jeu de table, le théâtre forum, la brochure autour de laquelle un processus d'animation a été développé..."

Academic Institutions

• Katholieke Universiteit Leuven
• Prince Leopold Institute of Tropical Medicine
• University of Antwerp
  - Research Group on Poverty, Social Exclusion and the City
• Ghent University
• Université Catholique de Louvain
• Université Libre de Bruxelles
• Vrije Universiteit Brussel
  - Human Ecology Department

National Policy and Related Documents

• The national food and health plan in Belgium: Stepping up to the plate! – Summary of the actions realized in 2005--2008

Reports, Guidelines, and Projects

• Belgium: Health system review
  "The Belgian population continues to enjoy good health and long life expectancy. This is partly due to good access to health services of high quality. Financing is based mostly on proportional social security contributions and progressive direct taxation. The compulsory health insurance is combined with a mostly private system of health care delivery, based on independent medical practice, free choice of physician and predominantly fee-for-service payment. This Belgian HiT profile (2010) presents the evolution of the health system since 2007, including detailed information on new policies. While no drastic reforms were undertaken during this period, policy-makers have pursued the goals of improving access to good quality of care while making the system sustainable. Reforms to increase the accessibility of the health system include measures to reduce the out-of-pocket payments of more vulnerable populations (low-income families and individuals as well as the chronically ill). Quality of care related reforms have included incentives to better integrate different levels of care and the establishment of information systems, among others. Additionally, several measures on pharmaceutical products have aimed to reduce costs for both the National Institute for Health and Disability Insurance (NIHDI) and patients, while maintaining the quality of care." [Health Systems in Transition, Vol. 12 No. 5: 1–266, 2010]
• Belgium: Long-term care
  "Belgium is a federal state composed of communities and regions. Long-term care responsibilities are shared and divided among Belgium’s levels of government, with community and region responsibilities generally complementing those of the federal state. Long-term care in Belgium is viewed as a health risk and institutional arrangements reflect a 'medical model' of care delivery (as opposed to a welfare model)." [OECD, 18 May 2011]
• Belgium’s mixed private/public health care system and its impact on the cost of end-stage renal disease
  Belgium has a mixed, public–private health care system, with state-organized reimbursements but private providers. The system is fee for service. For end-stage renal disease (ESRD), the fee-for-service system discourages preventive strategies, early referral to the nephrology unit, and the use of home-based therapies. The aging of the general population is reflected in the rapidly increasing number of very old dialysis patients, requiring more complicated and, therefore, more costly care. As dialysis costs increase, the ability to provide unrestricted access to dialysis treatment may be unsustainable. To aid in decision-making processes, nephrologists must be aware of financial and organizational issues. [author abstract] [Int J Health Care Finance Econ 7(2-3): 133-148, 2007]
• Fish consumption and its motives in households with versus without self-reported medical history of CVD: A consumer survey from five European countries
  Background: The purpose of this study was to explore the cross-cultural differences in the frequency of fish intake and in motivations for fish consumption between people from households with (CVD+) or without (CVD-) medical history of cardiovascular disease, using data obtained in five European countries. Methods: A cross-sectional consumer survey was carried out in November-December 2004 with representative household samples from Belgium, the Netherlands, Denmark, Poland and Spain. The sample consisted of 4,786 respondents, aged 18–84 and who were responsible for food purchasing and cooking in the household. Results: Individuals from households in the CVD+ group consumed fish more frequently in Belgium and in Denmark as compared to those in the CVD- group. The consumption of fatty fish, which is the main sources of omega-3 PUFA associated with prevention of cardiovascular diseases, was on the same level for the two CVD groups in the majority of the countries, except in Belgium where CVD+ subjects reported to eat fatty fish significantly more frequently than CVD- subjects. All respondents perceived fish as a very healthy and nutritious food product. Only Danish consumers reported a higher subjective and objective knowledge related to nutrition issues about fish. In the other countries, objective knowledge about fish was on a low level, similar for CVD+ as for CVD- subjects, despite a higher claimed use of medical information sources about fish among CVD+ subjects. Conclusion: Although a number of differences between CVD- and CVD+ subjects with respect to their frequency of fish intake are uncovered, the findings suggest that fish consumption traditions and habits – rather than a medical history of CVD – account for large differences between the countries, particularly in fatty fish consumption. This study exemplifies the need for nutrition education and more effective communication about fish, not only to the people facing chronic diseases, but also to the broader public. European consumers are convinced that eating fish is healthy, but particular emphasis should be made on communicating benefits especially from fatty fish consumption. [author abstract] [BMC Public Health 2008, 8: 306]
• Health expectancy in Belgium
  "This report is produced by the European Health Expectancy Monitoring Unit (EHEMU) as part of a country series. In each report we present: (i) Life expectancies** and health expectancies based on activity limitation (HLY) for the country of interest and for the overall 25 European Union member states (EU25), using the SILC question on long term activity limitation for 2005 and 2006. As the SILC has been only recently initiated, to document trends we provide previous HLY series based on the disability question of the 1995-2001 European Community Household Panel (ECHP); (ii) health expectancies based on the two additional dimensions of health (chronic morbidity and self-perceived health) for the country of interest, based on SILC 2006; [and] (iii) a global analysis of health expectancies of European countries, based on the SILC 2006." [EHEMU (European Health Expectancy Monitoring Unit) Country Reports, Issue 2 - April 2009]
• Immunologic Response of Unvaccinated Workers Exposed to Anthrax, Belgium
  To determine immunologic reactivity to Bacillus anthrax antigens, we conducted serologic testing of workers in a factory that performed scouring of wool and goat hair. Of 66 workers, .10% had circulating antibodies or T lymphocytes that reacted with anthrax protective antigen. Individual immunity varied from undetectable to high. [publication abstract] [Emerging Infectious Diseases, Vol. 15, No. 10, pp.1637-1640, October 2009]
• Measles resurgence in Belgium from January to mid-April 2011: a preliminary report
  From 1 January to 14 April 2011, a total of 155 measles cases were notified in Belgium, whereas throughout 2010, there were only 40. Of the 103 cases with known vaccination status, 87% had not been vaccinated with measles-mumps-rubella vaccine. The resurgence of measles is the consequence of insufficient vaccine coverage in previous years. Efforts to communicate the benefits of measles vaccination to the public and to advise health professionals on control measures and outbreak management are ongoing. [publication summary] [Euro Surveill. 2011; 16(16): pii=19848]

Educational Resources

• CDC - Travel Information : Western Europe